Odd News w/ Jake (Tues 8/11 - Seg 5)

Summary

Middays With Matt - “Odd News w/ Jake” (Tues 8/11 - Seg 5)

Date: August 11, 2026
Host: Matt McMaster
Podcast: Middays With Matt on 1620 The Zone
Segment: Odd News with Odson

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Episode Overview

In this lively "Odd News" segment, Matt and the team (including a guest named Jake and Janie reading news) dive into offbeat news stories, blending humor and nostalgia. Topics range from elderly parkour classes in Singapore, a heroic pet goose, to unconventional world records. The tone is light, riffing, and reminiscent, with plenty of asides and comedic observations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Parkour for Seniors in Singapore

[00:56-02:40]

• Story: A coach in Singapore is teaching parkour to elderly people, focusing on balance and mobility, and earning millions of views on social media.
• Matt's Reaction: Surprised and enthused about the concept.
  • Quote: “Whoa, wait. Parkour for old people?” (Matt B, 01:07)
• The group marvels over whether parkour is still popular, segueing into nostalgic reflection about the decline of skateboard and rock band kids.
  • Matt on society: “I do feel like society was better when we had more skateboarders... you just need a couple more.” (B, 01:32)
  • Matt thinks “video game kids” have replaced skateboard kids.

2. The Office Cold Open Debate

[02:40-03:35]

• Brief detour into favorite cold openings from "The Office," prompted by a listener (“J Man”) referencing the classic parkour scene.
  • Matt: Declares the "fire safety" opening as the best, but acknowledges parkour as top-tier.
  • Quote: “J Man goes Parkour was the best opening of all episodes of The Office when Andy jumps in the box. All time classic.” (B, 02:41)
• They also recall Michael running over Meredith and the rabies run episode.

3. Heroic Pet Goose Saves Texas Family

[03:36-05:52]

• Story: A domesticated goose named Goosey in Texas woke a family during a fire, saving livestock and property.
• Matt: Discusses unconventional pets and the line between acceptable and “weird” animals.
  • Quote: “I feel like goose and duck are...the final evolution of like a pet you should be allowed to have, slash domesticate.” (B, 04:19)
• Anecdote about another news clip featuring a depressed dog saved by a family’s pet duck, compared humorously to the Aflac duck.
• Fun fact tangent: A group of geese is called a "gaggle."
  • Quote: “So if you have a goose, then there's geese, and then there's...If there's a bunch...it's a gaggle. Fun fact for you.” (B, 05:52)

4. Hungry Hungry Hippos Guinness World Record

[06:01-08:23]

• Story: David Rush, an Idaho man, set a solo world record for clearing the game “Hungry Hungry Hippos” in 3.75 seconds, after previously achieving the family team record.
• The crew playfully mocks the silliness of such records, comparing them to other “dumb” world records like “pee blowing” or “longest ballroom dance.”
  • Matt: “Yeah, yeah. This is a dumb one. It's definitely up there.” (B, 06:31)
• Matt reveals his love for joining random leagues (darts, golf, softball), then jokes:
  • Quote: “How would you react if your significant other said, 'Hey, hon...I'm going to my Hungry Hungry Hippo league.' How would you feel about that?” (B, 07:15)
• They riff on the idea of training for Hungry Hungry Hippos—“I never thought of, like, how do I get better at Hungry Hungry Hippo? That’s never been a thought that's passed through my mind.” (B, 08:23)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Matt, on the need for skateboarders:
  “You just need a couple more. Just guys who are like, chill, don’t really care...They’re kind of mysterious, but they actually have like a deep, profound understanding of their own feelings.” (B, 01:36)

• Janie confirming parkour’s popularity:
  “Not. Not really too much.” (C, 01:30)

• On unconventional pets:
  “I feel like goose and duck are...the final evolution of like a pet you should be allowed to have...” (B, 04:19)

• Janie, fun fact:
  “A group of geese is called a gaggle.” (C, 05:51)

• Matt, on world records:
  “Yeah, yeah. This is a dumb one. It’s definitely up there.” (B, 06:31)
  “I never would say, oh my God, I’m great at this game. I’m awesome at Hungry Hungry Hippo...I could really take this to the next level.” (B, 07:36)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:56-02:40: Parkour for elderly in Singapore & the evolution of youth hobbies
• 02:41-03:35: Debate over best “The Office” cold opens
• 03:36-05:52: Heroic pet goose and musings on unconventional pets
• 06:01-08:23: Guinness world record for Hungry Hungry Hippos and the absurdity of niche records

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Tone & Style

The tone is conversational, humorous, and a bit nostalgic, with a penchant for tangents and cultural riffs. The hosts enjoy poking fun at themselves, the news, and pop culture, with a relaxed, improvisational style.

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Summary Conclusion:
This Odd News segment provided a lighthearted tour through the world’s strange headlines, with Matt and the crew offering both laughs and thoughtful (if tongue-in-cheek) takes on everything from parkour grandmas to heroic geese and viral board game prowess. Regular fans will enjoy the playful banter and rapid-fire commentary, while newcomers will find plenty of quirky stories and memorable moments to savor.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

And now we've reached the point in the show where Josh Odson reads the peculiar, the bizarre, the comical, the odd news with oddsun. Odd news. Oddsun. See what we did there? The odd news with Odson. All right, Janie, what you got?

[C]

So parkour may usually be images of teenagers swinging between buildings in urban areas, but a coach in Singapore is using the techniques to teach better balance to the elderly, drawing millions of social media views.

[B]

Whoa, wait. Parkour for old people?

[C]

Yeah, Parkour for old people.

[B]

Hell, yeah. Is there any videos of this?

[C]

Yes, there is some videos of it.

[B]

It's parkour still hot. They're like, are they. Do you find Instagram accounts that are still doing parkour? Are there. Are there parents out there who. Their children are like, hey, mom, hey, dad. I'm a parkour guy. Like, I want pads or I want this, or I need shoes. Have you seen that recently?

[C]

Not. Not really too much.

[B]

But I mean, like, parkour has gone to the wayside also, too. I do feel like society was better when we had more skateboarders. I actually do think we kind of, like, I don't know where they're going, but we need more skateboard kids. Like, you just need a couple more. Just guys who are like, chill, don't really care. You know, they're kind of living life at a younger age. They kind of just let things roll off of them. They're skating their board everywhere. They're, like, kind of mysterious, but they actually have, like, a deep, profound understanding of their own feelings. At least those were the skateboarders I knew growing up and growing. Growing up. I actually did know a couple of skateboards. I feel like we need more skateboard kids. I also do think we need more, like, rock band kids, too. We need more kids who play in bands and we need more kids who skateboard. And unfortunately, we have. We have sub that. I don't really care where those kids have gone specifically. Like, I have no problem. A lot of them probably are now a Skateboard kid then probably is like a video game kid now, right? Is probably what I would have to guess. But I kind of.

[A]

I. I don't.

[B]

I don't care. We have more video game kids. I would just like more skateboard kids. J Man goes Parkour was the best opening of all episodes of the Office when Andy jumps in the box. All time classic. The best cold open of the Office,

[C]

probably.

[B]

Fire safety.

[C]

That was a good one.

[B]

Fire safety is probably the best. The one where Michael hits Meredith with his car that entire episode two of the run. The. The very long title. The run for the cure for rabies, which has already been cured. And then they get the big check. And so it takes like that whole episode is pretty great. That's also the Michael carbo loading before the run with. With fettuccine Alfredo. I think fire safety, though, would probably have to be number one. Cold open forgetting. No, I think I'm pretty good with that. The parkour cor, though.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Pretty great.

[A]

All right.

[B]

What else you got? What else you got?

[C]

So a Texas family's pet goose is being hailed as a hero for alerting the sleeping family to a fire that erupted in their barn. Fort Ben. Yeah. Fort Bend county resident Bet Bert Gerber said he was asleep in front of his TV last week when he was roused by the honking of the family's pet goose, Goosey. The family's home security cameras recorded as Goosey let out a several loud honks while flames erupted in the barn behind the home and ended up. He was able to go out and end up helping out all the animals around the barn, and none of them were harmed.

[B]

Okay, so they have. They. This is a farm that they have an entire. So it's not just they have a pet goose?

[C]

Well, no, this is the family's pet goose. Oh, it goes.

[B]

Oh, it's a domesticated.

[C]

It's a domesticated goose that they have and started honking.

[B]

Yeah, that probably is the line, right. In terms of domesticated pets that aren't completely weird. Like, I feel like once anytime you have like a pet tiger or a pet monkey, you know, that's a. That's a line that is crossed there where it's like, you probably shouldn't have that pet. I feel like goose and duck are. Is like the final evolution of like a pet you should be allowed to have, slash domesticate. And it doesn't. And it isn't a problem.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Did you see that video on Twitter of there was a dog that was, I guess, sick or depressed. I Forget what it was. But there was a family that had a dog that was struggling, and they had a pet duck. And apparently the pet duck is the greatest thing that ever happened. It's one of the greatest camera pans I've ever seen on local television, where they go from looking at the dog on the ground who's clearly like, you know, he's an older, older pup. And then they pan on over to a. A bush, and behind the bush, sticking its head out, is the pet duck, which looks exactly like the Aflac duck, might I add. So that was an incredible news story. Maybe it would have. I think it. I don't know if Oddson had on the odd news before, but I feel like, I think good for the goose. Good for the goose. You know what you call. What do you. What is a. Isn't it a gaggle of geeses? Right?

[C]

I've never heard of a cat.

[B]

Don't you. Don't. Don't you call. What do you. What's a gaggle? A group of. A group of geese is called a gaggle.

[C]

That's crazy.

[B]

So if you have a goose, then there's geese, and then there's. If there's a bunch of geeses, then you. It's a gaggle. Fun fact for you. All right, what's our third and final lot news story?

[C]

So an Idaho man goes solo for a second Hungry Hungry Hungry Hippos world record. An Idaho man who teamed up with his family to break the world record for clearing Hungry Hungry Hippos went solo to earn a second second title for the game. David Rush, who partners with his wife and kids, is at the Guinness World record for the fastest time to clear a game. Ended up doing it in 3.75 seconds. Said attempting the solo version felt entirely natural. So, yeah, I know this is the show of world records, but, you know, here's another world record for you.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. This is a dumb one. It's definitely up there. It's next to pee blowing it. It's next to longest kiss. Actually might not be too bad. There was one, I think it was like, longest ballroom dancing. I was like, that's this overkill. That's ridiculous. This is definitely, definitely up there. In terms of dumb world records that we've covered here on the odd news, I. I'm a league man, so I like to be in leagues, famously. So Tuesday is dart league. Wednesday is Tiburon golf league, another Wednesday. So, like, I'll play golf on my golf league on Wednesday, and then I'll go straight to Kelly and I'll play softball, right? Like, I'm a. I like being in leagues. What would. How would you react if your significant other said, hey, hon, or, hey, hey, hey, you know, husband, I am going to my Hungry Hungry Hippo league. How would, how would you feel about that? I'd be like, you're going to your what? How do you get into that?

[C]

Who knows?

[B]

Other than maybe having a. But then also, too hypothetically, if I were to have a lot of kids and we were to play Hungry Hungry Hippo all the time, I never would say, oh, my God, I'm great at this game. I'm awesome at Hungry Hungry Hippo. I would never think, oh, I could do something with this. I could really take this to the next level. I could be. I could. I could gain some notoriety or fame by being so good at Hungry Hungry Hippo. Like, I would never put those two. I would never connect those dots. I would never put that equation together. I would just be like, oh, cool, this game's fun. I'm glad my 8 year old, before they go to bed, enjoys playing it.

[C]

You know, have the thought to do it by yourself.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

To be a world record.

[B]

I never thought of, like, how do I get better at Hungry Hungry Hippo? That's never been a thought that's passed through my mind or I think will ever pass through my mind. All right, we did a turning point, pessimism kind of type deal with Husker football. Let's go a little bit more optimistic. And I also tell you what's going on in terms of schedules. Open your ears. Jewelry work. Cola. It's 1620 the zone.

[D]

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